MAGA supporters and conservatives are mocking the French after a politician declared that the U.S. should return the Statue of Liberty to France, adding that the gift was not meant for Americans who sided with "tyrants."
"Give us back the Statue of Liberty", Raphael Glucksmann, a center-left French-Euro deputy, said at a convention of his Place Publique center-left movement on Sunday.
"We're going to say to the Americans who have chosen to side with the tyrants, to the Americans who fired researchers for demanding scientific freedom: 'Give us back the Statue of Liberty,'" he said to a cheering crowd. "'We gave it to you as a gift, but apparently you despise it. So it will be just fine here at home.'"
In response, conservatives and supporters of President Donald Trump took to social media to criticize the politician for his unusual request, expressing a refusal to return the monument.
"We should give France back to Germany," one social media user retorted, referring to American support during Word War II.
We should give France back to Germany.
— Sluggy (@Slugguisha) March 17, 2025
We're not giving it back
— egg rich 0/10 cannot recommend (@aplus_tweets) March 17, 2025
"Without the US, France would be speaking German now," concurred another user.
Without the US, France would be speaking German now.
— Chris Jukes (@ChrisJukes777) March 17, 2025
"Bro, nobody cares what France thinks. Nobody takes them seriously. And they aren't getting their statue back," wrote a third user.
Bro, nobody cares what France thinks. Nobody takes them seriously.
— Rose of Sharon Mayer (@RozeRage) March 17, 2025
And they aren’t getting their statue back.
France saved our butts once, during the Revolutionary War.
— Godwin Meter (@GodwinMeter) March 17, 2025
We saved their asses twice, in two world wars.
But if they want it back bad enough, let them come and take it.
"One, it's a gift so no 'takesies-backsies'. Second what is France going to do? They haven't won a war since their own Revolution," one user wrote.
One, it's a gift so no 'takesies-backsies'. 😂 Second what is France going to do? They haven't won a war since their own Revolution.
— Mathias Warrior (@WarriorMathias) March 17, 2025
Bro we are not going to spend American tax dollars just to ship you the Statue of Liberty through Amazon.
— Mark Arrow (@Mandrake_Flower) March 17, 2025
The Statue of Liberty has been an American monument for well over a century, since the gift was revealed at the harbor of New York City on October 28, 1886. Designed by Frenchman Auguste Bartholdi, the statue was gifted to the U.S. by the French in honor of the centennial of the American Declaration of Independence.
Glucksmann, who is also a strong supporter of Ukraine, continued to criticize Trump's administration for it's unwillingness to sufficiently support the eastern European nation in the face of Russia invasion. He then criticized the Trump administration for cuts being made to educational departments and research facilities.
"The second thing we're going to say to the Americans is: 'if you want to fire your best researchers, if you want to fire all the people who, through their freedom and their sense of innovation, their taste for doubt and research, have made your country the world's leading power, then we're going to welcome them,'" Glucksmann continued.
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